Method of treating coal.



D %TAT% PAEN FIWCE,

CHARLES E. HITE,

OF IBURLINGTON, JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO UNIVERSAL BBIQUETTING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

. METHOD OF TREATING COAL.

No Drawing. Application filed June 21, 1909, Serial No; 503,331.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 191?.

Renewed October 6, 1916. Serial No.

cially adaptable in treating semi-bituminous and anthracite coals.

A specific form of my method W111 be described as follows To one ton, or coal, I first add from five to fifty or more gallons of crude petroleum oil, or the residue from the refining of such oil. I thoroughly mix the oil and coal, in a mechanical mixer,

and then subject the same to a temperature F. for ten or fifteen minutes.

of about 400 This causes a close affiliation between the coal particles and the oil. I then add about thirty gallons, more or less, of water to said coal and oil mixture and thoroughly mix the same. The mixtureois then ready for the briqueting press. If the culm or coal is not sufficiently dry to permit the material to combine readily with the 'oil, it should first be subjected to atemperature sufficient to drive ofi? the moisture.

After the briquets are made, they are then subjected to a temperature of from 500 F. F., until a hard crust is formed on the surface of the briquets or the heating action may be continued until a uniform hardness extends throughout the briquets as desired.

I find this method produces a briquet which is impervious to water, even when completely submerged-for months, and that the briquet is also suflicientlyhard and durable to stand rough usage or handling.

I have found that the crude'oil petroleum mixed with the coal alone will not form a substance that will stand briqueting, but by the addition of water to this mixture, the grease, parafiin or asphaltum, or similar elehave invented a for example, of fine dry culm ture,

ment of the oil becomes stiff, which enables it to bind or hold the particles of the coal together until the mass 'has reached the baking ovens where the process is completed. In the use of the words crude petroleum in the claims, Imean to include any suitable equivalent thereof, such for example as the residue from refining crude petroleum oil.

,VVhat I claim is 1. The method of treating dry pulverized coal, culm or similar material, which consists in first mixing the material with a crude petroleum oil, heating the mixture to cause a close affiliation of the components, and afterward mixin water therewith.

2., The method 0% treating pulverized coal, culm or similar material, which consists in first subjecting said material to a temperature sufficient to drive off the moisthen mixing with said material a crude petroleum oil, heating the mixture to cause a close afliliation of the components, then adding to said mixture a sufficient quantity of waterg-to stiffen the grease to render the oil constituent sticky or gummy.

3. The method of treating dry pulverized coal, culm or similar material, which consists in first mixing with said material crude petroleum, heating the mixture to cause a close afiiliation of the components, then mixing therewith cold water to stifi'en the mass, forming the mass into briquets while stiff, and then subjecting the same to heat.

4. The method of treating pulverized coal, culm or similar material, which consists in first subjecting said material to a temperature suflicient to drive ofl moisture, then mixing with said material a crude petroleum CHARLES E. nrrn.

Witnesses:

MAE H FMANN, HOWARD S. 0mm 

